Andrew
Bates crackles at Kemble at the Air Day on 19 June. Pictures by the
author and Tony Osborne

This year's
Kemble Air Day could probably be described as a show of two extremes -
that is extremely hot, and extremely successful. Held coincidentally on
Fathers' Day, the event was blessed with some very warm, but long overdue,
summer weather. The weather forecast had actually warned of the risk of
heavy thundery showers by afternoon, but this failed to deter a record
crowd of nearly 25,000 piling through the gates, thankfully the showers
never materialising. Instead, it was wall-to-wall sunshine from start
to finish, which simply added to the enjoyment of a first class event.

The show
itself was a good mix of modern military, classic jets and warbirds. Of
the military participation, it is no exaggeration to say that the support
from the Royal Air Force for this event was outstanding in these budget
conscious times. Clearly the 'boys in blue' were keen to revisit what
had previously been RAF Kemble, to the extent that their level of participation
was enough to remind your scribe of the traditional RAF 'at home' shows
of days gone by.

Dominating
the static was a 101 Squadron VC-10K4 from nearby Brize Norton, which
remained open to internal inspection for the benefit of the ever-present
queue of eager punters. The remaining static participation from the RAF
comprised of single examples of the Jaguar, Harrier, Hawk, Tucano, Chinook,
Griffin and Squirrel. As if this was not enough for a show of this stature,
the RAF presence in the flying programme was equally as impressive.

Kemble
corkers

Thanks to
the layout at Kemble, many of the flying participants are parked right
in front of the crowd, further enhancing the spectacle of the show. So,
it was no surprise to see that the centre of attention, prior to the flying,
was a pair of Typhoon T1s from 29(R) Squadron, the Typhoon OCU. Making
its Kemble debut, it was clear that the RAF's latest acquisition was attracting
considerable interest from the public, who were in for a real treat later
in the day, thanks to an impressive display in the capable hands of Flt
Lt Matt Elliott during the afternoon. It was a superb demonstration of
the performance capabilities of this new jet in near idyllic conditions
- marvellous! Further RAF flying displays featured the Harrier, Hawk,
Hercules, Tucano and Jaguar, the latter also providing a flypast in formation
with one of the Kemble based Hunters. Another rarely seen flying participant
was
a 216 Squadron Tristar, again from nearby Brize, which completed a couple
of sedate flybys in complete contrast to the fast jets. And of course,
no Kemble show would be complete without an appearance from the Red Arrows
over their former airfield, with the weather providing ideal conditions
for their full show.

Continuing
the modern military theme, the show could also boast international status,
thanks to participation from two different countries - firstly, from the
Netherlands, there was a flying display from a PC-7 from the EMVO at Woensdrecht,
whilst arriving for static display during mid-morning was a RNZAF C-130H
from 40 Squadron, all the way from their home base at Whenuapai (although
they had simply repositioned from nearby Lyneham that morning). For many,
the sight of a Kiwi Herc was most welcome, but for the hardened enthusiast,
there was even more exotica to be found. It's no secret that currently
there are three ex-Chilean Army Puma helicopters held in store at Kemble,
all for apparent refurbishment and resale on the second hand market. So,
the subsequent effort of positioning one of these rare beasts in the static
park just for the show was greatly appreciated and applauded by many.
Additional to this, for the desperate (scribe included!), tucked away
amongst the stalls was a civilian registered Bulldog. For many, it probably
didn't even gain a second glance. However, extensive post-show research
of the registration (G-RNRS) revealed its previous identity as ex-Swedish
AF 61026. Regrettably, it no longer sports its original camouflage and
markings...look away now!

Returning
to the flying programme, obviously part of the Delta Jets home fleet would
feature prominently throughout the day, enabling everyone to savour the
sight and sound of the lovely Hawker Hunter at regular intervals. A highlight
for many was a superb three-ship Hunter formation display, which featured
the latest addition to the fleet, the beautifully restored XL577, resplendent
in 92 Squadron 'Blue Diamonds' livery. This flew alongside the familiar
all-black WV318 and camouflaged WV372 in a superbly choreographed sequence
of formation flying. These two aircraft would return to the skies later
in the day to perform an airfield attack demonstration with a little help
from some strategically placed pyrotechnics. Additional to all of this,
there was also a further Hunter display in the shape of Jonathon Whaley's
ex-Swiss Hunter F58A 'Miss Demeanour', along with other classic jet displays
from Delta's Jet Provost T5 and Air Atlantique's Vampire T55.

Amongst all
the jet noise, there was also the opportunity to sample the delightful
noise of classic piston engines. Apart from attendance from the BBMF Dakota,
with attendant Spitfire and Hurricane, there were also excellent displays
of past naval airpower by the Kennet Aviation AD-4N Skyraider and the
RNHF Sea Fury FB11. Plans for the Sea Fury to be accompanied to Kemble
by the RNHF Sea Hawk were thwarted by a technical problem, so sadly it
remained stuck at Yeovilton. Despite this one disappointment, overall
the show was a resounding success, and one which continues to build upon
an already impressive reputation. Full marks once again to Glen Moreman
and his team for organising such an entertaining and relaxed show. The
next Kemble Air Day is scheduled for 18 June 2006 - with the added benefit
this year of such glorious weather, it's hard to imagine this event being
bettered during 2006, but it's quite likely that the organising committee
are already working on that!